


A Shadow In The Way

by KyeAbove



Series: Be Bold. Be Alive. [2]
Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: Ableism, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Animals, Blood and Violence, Character Death, Childhood Trauma, Depression, Developing Relationship, Eye Trauma, F/M, Family, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Gen, Graphic Description of Corpses, Grief/Mourning, Harm to Children, Implied Sexual Content, Loss of Limbs, M/M, Murder, Murder Mystery, Past Child Death, Past Miscarriage, Past Relationship(s), Period Typical Attitudes, Period-Typical Racism, Rated For Violence, Self Confidence Issues, Suicidal Thoughts, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-10
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-04-24 05:53:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19167121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KyeAbove/pseuds/KyeAbove
Summary: The studio closed earlier on, and everyone moved on with their lives. Joey’s dark nature was kept at bay longer than the studio's haunts, until his lover Henry was cruelly torn from the world by a serial killer only weeks after returning from the war that ruined him. As consequence, life brought him right to his old friend Wally, left a widowed father to three young children when his love was taken by the same killer. And neither intend for the killer to get away with these losses brought upon them.





	1. Black Rose

It was a sunny autumn day fit for a miracle, and Joey had gone out to walk his and Henry’s dog while Henry was left to finish reading his book in peace. Lucky, a golden lab Henry had adopted for Joey to keep him company shortly before heading off to war, bounced happily beside him and in front of him from the house and then the entire way home. Joey was in a good mood, both because of this walk, and how excited he was for every day he had since Henry had come home early. Joey was intending to drop the dog off at home, and then take Henry on a movie date. Joey knew Henry’s few months fighting in the war, before he lost half of his left leg, had scared him just as much as losing a limb had, and Joey was always dead set on keeping Henry’s spirits raised since his lover had been sent back home. 

Lucky was very excited, as he was for everything he came across. Barring his fear of cats, that was. Lucky tugged on his lead to try and chase after a squirrel, but Joey pulled him back with a fond grin. 

“No. If you deal in squirrels again they’ll just get more aggressive in attempting to eat from the bird feeder.” Joey lightly warned. He suspected it was all Lucky’s fault the local squirrels had so quickly found the new feeder after he’d gotten more creative in hiding it so only the birds could get it.

Lucky kept on tugging, not a care in the world, until he stopped and perked up one of his ears, listening. His tail started to wag lightly, and he abandoned his squirrel mission and darted further, towards home, while Joey limped on after him. Whatever Lucky had heard, it’d put him on rather quickly. Joey laughed to himself, and wondered if he and Henry should instead just sit in the backyard and watch Lucky run around the grass. It always brought them joy. 

The human-dog pair made it home in record time, and Joey had to stop to catch his breath. Breathing heavily but smiling, he rested his hand on the gate while Lucky started to whine. Lucky looked up at Joey with wide brown eyes, and unease in his step.

“One moment, Luck.” Joey reached behind the gate to undo the lock, and brought his hand back as the gate swung open. Lucky immediately started sniffing his hand and Joey laughed at that and looked at his hand. 

It had a red smear on it that hadn’t been there before.

Joey stared at it in curiosity, before going ahead and licking it, and it tasted metallic. Blood? Fresh too. 

Bits of fear pricked through him. He’d only been gone twenty minutes at most. What could Henry have done in that time that would have drawn blood? Joey passed the entrance to the yard, and walked up the path to the house, and the stair rail had more blood on it. Had Henry gotten a nasty cut and ran off to the hospital? Joey hoped that was all it was, and that he’d find a note explaining such a thing, or a call later to dispel his fears.

Lucky whined, and went up to the front door, and started scratching at it. The door opened with the simple movement, and Joey felt more uneasy. He’d locked the door behind him when he’d taken the dog out. Maybe Henry has forgotten to see if the door was closed before he’d ran off?

Joey crossed the remaining distance, and pushed the door open fully and walked into the house. Lucky started pulling on his lead frantically, yipping and barking wildly, and he dragged Joey away from the front entrance through the kitchen and towards his and Henry’s bedroom. 

Nothing in the house seemed out of its physical place in the glimpses Joey saw, but there was a chill in the air, and occasionally he spotted little marks of blood. When Lucky stopped at bedroom and started barking at it, Joey hesitated on opening the door. Something felt so wrong. 

Still, Joey opened the door, expecting nothing out of place and it was just his paranoia talking, and came upon a bloodbath. The walls were splattered in blood and many things were knocked to the floor in an apparent struggle. 

Upon the bed, the bloodiest thing in room, was his Henry, sprawled and bent.

Joey dropped the leash and raced to the bed, and cupped Henry’s face. “Henry?” He asked shaikly, hoping for a response, getting none. Joey went to check Henry’s pulse and his hand slipped from Henry’s neck in a jump. Joey’s lip wobbled and he stood up and away. 

Henry wasn’t breathing for sure. 

It was a horrific sight. Henry’s leg stump was bloody, torn open by the old wound, and he was missing one of his beautiful eyes, with the socket bloody and cut. Several of his fingers were gone as well and not anywhere noticeable in the room. His chest and abdomen was exposed and covered in deep stab marks, and his pants hung past his hips to expose even more wounds. There was a single stab through his throat.

Henry was dead. 

Lucky whined, and sniffed Henry’s limp hand, and rubbed his snout on it, hoping for pets from the deadest man. Joey stumbled back further, leaning now against the window, and started to cry. This couldn’t be happening. This couldn’t be real!

“Please be a bad dream, please!” Joey pleaded with the universe, and he stumbled forward and reached over and cupped Henry’s face more. It was still warm. Henry had so recently been alive. Breathing. Smiling. Loving. 

And now all of that was lost to the blankness of death and mutilation. 

Through his tears, Joey scanned the room in a panic, and at the far wall spotted dripping thick blood. Clearing his vision of tears, Joey realized it was a word.. Painted in blood. Henry’s blood. 

**WoRried?**


	2. Daffodil

Joey was realizing that finding flowers for Henry’s funeral was turning out to be the hardest mundane part of losing him. Most flower shops were selling off the last of their stock before winter, and what was there just didn’t fit for Henry. Henry deserved the best, and Joey could give nothing at all. 

There was one last one that Joey would check before giving up and giving Henry a flowerless funeral. Grant had suggested the place, looking tired as usual, but somehow knowing. 

Joey and Grant got along much better now that Grant had taken up permanent residence as a math teacher for the local high school, ever since the animation studio had to close down. Henry had firmly sat Joey down years ago, and finally gotten him to see what a horrible person he was to Grant. He and Grant weren’t friends, but an occasional meeting at the bar was not outside their wills as long as neither started to dwell too much on their past.

It was last night that Grant had suggested this place, so Joey pushed the door open, and Lucky padded in behind him. The shop was a little bare, but Joey looked around all the same. He’d been having some luck finding mildly appropriate flowers when Lucky started yipping and yelping and went to hide around Joey. 

When Joey looked to see what was scaring his dog, it was a cat. Of course it was a cat. It was always a cat. Joey looked at it further, and it was a three legged cat at that. It looked up at Joey with curious blue eyes, and an almost amused look.

“Lilac! How did you scare another dog? They’re usually bigger than you.” A fondly annoyed voice said, and Joey looked from the cat and approaching was-

“Wally Franks?” 

Joey had not seen Wally in years. Even before the studio closed, Wally had ‘temporarily’ quit, citing illness, and had just never came back. But this was clearly the young man Joey used to know. 

Wally's hair was longer than Joey had ever seen it. It was tied up high in the back, but left long out front. It framed Wally's face rather well and combined with the rather well drawn on stubble, made him look rugged and handsome. 

Joey blinked, and scowled. Those were bad thoughts. Henry had just recently died and his mind had no right to consider another man.

“Joey?” Wally seemed surprised, recognizing him too. The two men stared at each other. Joey then though looked at the little child Wally was holding. The child was not too old, although seemed to be past baby. Joey wasn’t good at placing ages to children. 

The child looked up at him, and seemed surprised by his height. 

“Yes, Mira, he is rather tall.” Wally confirmed for the girl, who continued to stare. 

“You...have an offspring.” Joey was rather shocked that Wally would ever settle down. 

“Three of them actually. Yup...Hey Joey, how have you been coping?” Wally put on a plastered smile but his eyes showed he wasn’t really feeling ready to be happy. Wally must have heard about Henry’s death. 

Joey gave him the same fake smile.

“Not well. Thanks for asking.” 

Lucky started to whimper, and Joey looked down and saw Lilac was approaching Lucky again.

“Is this your cat?”

“Yes.”

"I thought cats made you sneeze."

Wally laughed, and that was the same fakeness as the smile.

"They do. He was in the drain. We.." Wally grabbed at the ring on his finger. "Darn little guy was half drowned and the intent was to just let him dry off and get back to health for a day or so...then...then...well, three legged cat…" Wally forced another smile. 

“He still seems like a ferocious little thing.” 

Wally genuinely smiled at that. “Yeah! He’s managed in the two years of his life to scare every dog who meets him. Funny little boy.” Wally crouched down and picked up Lilac as well, and Mira gave the cat light pats on the head. 

“How old is your daughter?” 

“She’s a little over a year. A bit hard, but I manage.” Wally lightly shrugged. “So what can I get you?” Wally sounded like he was just being polite, with an undertone of knowing exactly why he was here. Joey was surprised. 

“This is your shop?”

“Yes. I always did like flowers. So I opened up my own shop a while ago.”

Wally did seem genuine about that too. So Joey got over himself, and asked “I need red flowers, and colors that compliment red. Henry always liked red.” 

Looking sad, Wally nodded and went to the back of the shop and came back without his child and cat, and with basket filled with red, blue, and purple flowers. “Grant told me about it yesterday when I picked up the kids -he usually babysits for me when he can- so I prepared them ahead. He paid for them too. Didn’t know you’d be picking them up yourself though.”

Joey shook. Grant had paid for flowers? It was probably out of pity, or because it was Henry. Grant wouldn’t have any reason to care past that. 

“Tt-thank you…” Joey took the basket and it really seemed perfect for decorating. 

“You’re welcome...funeral's this Friday, right? I’ll be there.” 

Joey nodded. He could see Wally’s feelings of loss at losing Henry as well, even though Joey was sure they hadn’t seen each other in a long time. Some bonds stayed in life and in death. 

“See you then.” 

“Yes..see you, Joey.” Wally walked back a few steps, and Joey got a good grip on Lucky’s lead and they left the flower shop with the flowers. Joey was dazed. It was odd being treated without at least mild contempt. That was his normal.

Of course, Joey numbly mused, ‘normal’ no longer existed in this new horrific reality.


	3. Lillies

The police did not really investigate Henry's death. Joey wasn't sure if it was because Henry was an amputee, considered a traitor to his country’s pride for dropping out the war so soon even with good reason, or it was because of Henry and Joey's relationship being suspected. Joey was sure the neighbors saw.

All of this left Joey with questions and no answers. A killer was on the loose, and Joey was at a loss for it.

The funeral was today. Joey had many tears to shed, and he wasn't even at the venue yet. They had chosen a place near the graveyard, as Henry had been non-religious most of his life and what he did believe in was not under any current religion. Joey wondered if Henry have been ahead of this time or just the doubting man.

Joey had decorated the area previous with the flowers he got from Wally’s shop. It made it seem far less gloomy. Joey hoped Henry would have approved.

He arrived with the heaviest of hearts, and what stood out among the many people and decorations was Wally sitting on a bench, dressed in formal wear and lacking his fake stubble, bouncing a distressed Mira on his knee while a boy of maybe three or four rested at his feet and another, slightly older child was laying on the bench with his head resting on Wally’s stable knee.

Wally looked just as distressed as his daughter, and was there otherwise alone. Joey didn’t see whoever matched Wally’s ring. Must have been working, and unconcerned with Henry’s life and death.

Joey approached, because Wally was a question, and Joey wanted a few answers.

“What upset the girl?” Joey asked, not sure what else to open with. Wally was slightly startled, but relaxed when he realized it was just Joey.

“Johnny pinched her cheek.” Wally said with distaste, narrowing his eyes.

“Oh...poor...Mira, you said her name was?” Joey faintly recalled that. Wally looked down at his daughter.

“Promise you won’t get sad…”

“...Okay?”

“Umm...well, I might as well introduce all three. Okay,” Wally nudged at the boy with his head on Wally’s knee, “That’s Sammy James, usually just called James.” James blinked at Joey blankly. The boy at Wally’s feet acknowledged Joey’s presence, but seemed shy, and not just distant like James appeared. “That’s Norman Gabriel, usually called Gabe. And this is…” Wally hesitated on his daughter’s name. “...Henrietta Miriam, usually just called Mira.”

Joey processed this, and then asked. “Did Henry ever know Henrietta?”

“No. He didn’t.”

“A shame. He would have loved her.” Joey crouched down to get a better look at the child who’d carry on Henry’s legacy. She seemed a little more comfortable with him now that he wasn’t towering over her. She still had her baby blue eyes but Joey was sure he saw a green hue of aging eyes in them. She already had a thick head of brown hair that took much after Wally’s thick hair. He looked back at Wally. “How old are the boys?”

“Seven and three years old.”

Joey did the math in his head, and then actually smiled slightly.

“Illness, huh?”

Wally blushed. It has been 8 years since Wally quit working at the studio, and accounting for pregnancy time, Joey could tell the real reason Wally never came back to work. Parenthood likely left little reason to come back to such a demanding job.

“I don’t have to parade my entire life in front of you to justify myself.”

“I didn’t-”

The two’s conversation was brought to an end when a new voice interrupted Joey.

“Hey, doll, what you doing talking to him?” Joey looked, and glared at one Johnny Lawrence, both for interrupting them and being who he was. He and Johnny used to be friends, but then Johnny had changed. Johnny gave Joey a shit-eating grin for the glare, and then handed Wally a glass of juice.

Wally looked at it, and then at Johnny, and wordlessly tossed the liquid in his face. Johnny sputtered, and then muttered “I was just trying to be nice…” He then stopped away.

Joey watched him leave. “What was that about?”

“Sammy is going to be a bit late to the funeral so Johnny thinks he’s got free time to flirt with me.” Wally replied in a bitter tone.

“Does he do that a lot.”

“Yeah. Sammy’s told him to stop but Johnny’s...terrible.” Wally shook his head. “I don’t like it, but I’m kinda too far buried in the Lawrence family to keep away from him.”

Joey wondered what Wally meant by that, and was about to ask when they were interrupted once again. That was this time for a call that services were about to begin.

To Joey’s confusion, Wally handed Mira over to him. Joey and Mira looked at each other in confusion, while Wally picked up James.

“If I didn’t carry him he’d just lay here like a dead weight, or wander off and I won’t find him for a week.” Wally spoke with alarming confidence while James still had a blank look on his face. Wally walked off closer to the front of set up, and Gabe trialed after him looking like a sad lost puppy while Mira started to babble happily at Joey.

Deciding to question it later, Joey followed after Wally with Mira. James rested his head on Wally’s shoulder, and nuzzled in, and then finally actually looked at Joey. His blue eyes now seemed sad instead of blank.

Joey wondered why the kid looked like he wanted to die at only seven years old. James then closed his eyes, and seemly tried to sleep off his misery.

They made it to their seats, and Mira chose to stick herself to Joey, and cuddled up to him. Wally took a seat beside Joey, and Gabe took the chair beside him, while James slept in Wally’s lap.

The funeral passed in somber sadness, and fear. Many people took their turn coming up onto the makeshift stage to say a few words here and there. Soon it was Joey’s turn and Mira refused to part with him so he took her onto the stage with him. Joey felt all the eyes on him.

“Henry was...a friend. A lover to me, but he was my friend first. I never thought I'd lose him, or have to say goodbye at all. It's too soon anyways, and the one who took him from this world mocks the very life of him. Henry…” Joey paused, and then tears started streaming down his face. Mira reached up and started wiping away the tears. It got a few pleasant looks from the crowd, each finding her a light in the dark. “Sorry, I don’t think I can continue." Joey stepped off stage and then went back the chairs and before anyone could say a word, Joey put Mira on the chair with Gabe and stalked off.

He needed some time alone again. He had to get used to that, after all. He had Lucky, but nobody else. And as Joey picked up his speed and started running from his problems, he felt maybe he was always meant to be this sort of lonely and scared. Nobody really cared anyway, or so he thought.

Joey reached the edge of the field before his leg started to cramp. Breathing heavily, he leaned against a tree and cried. It felt like a long time before he heard the crunching of grass, and looked up, and there was Wally, childless at that.

“W-what are you doing here?” Joey asked.

Wally looked a familiar sort of sad, and then sat down beside Joey. “I’m here to make sure you’re okay.”

Joey laughed. “I’ll never be okay.”

Wally looked down at the ring on his finger and nodded. “I know what that’s like. Let's be devastated together.” Joey didn’t know what to say, but allowed Wally’s presence beside him as he wept for the life he’d never return to.


	4. Aster

Wally played with an autumn's leaf as Joey sobbed on beside him. Even knowing what Joey had lost, and knowing the same sort of loss, it was odd to see Joey so _human._ The Joey Drew that Wally had known since he started working at the studio up until he’d quit to avoid explaining a very uncomfortable details and avoid deadly stress, had been monstrous at times, and very careless for all people.

This person beside him was just a man grieving for the greatest source of happiness in his entire life, and Wally understood that feeling. 

_Green eyes, an overbite smile with crooked teeth like fangs, thick brown hair that was glorious to run his hands through as their lips met…_

He missed it all so much, and would never get over that loss.

It’d been two years for Wally, while Joey had only days. Wally remembered his first week. He’d been inconsolable, and with a traumatized child and a clingy toddler too, it’d been terrible for a very long time. Sammy had basically taken over Wally’s life trying to help the family left behind while holding his own grief and loss, and Wally felt he could never make it up to Sammy. Sammy claimed that family helped family, but Wally thought he took far too much from him during that time of their lives. 

Wally wondered if Joey had anyone. Grant seemed to show enough concern for Joey, but was it really enough? Had Joey’s sister talked to him since the murder? Wally decided he’d ask her when he had the chance, because the last thing Joey needed was loneliness at a time like this. Even if Wally could get them talking on the phone, it’d be better than nothing.

“He… he was wonderful…” Joey eventually muttered, drying some of his tears with his sleeve. “He gave so much for me. I was never the best he could have and yet he chose me. I never understood…” 

Wally felt that way too.

“Mine was the same. I figured I’d just be the next lover in a long string of them, and then we somehow were married and had two kids and really thought we’d live the rest of our lives together. A silly dream, wasn’t it?” Wally looked to the sky, and looked so loving. “Dreams just up and die, and there’s nothing we can do.” 

Joey looked at Wally in shock, and then his words sunk in. 

“You’re…?”

“A widower, yes.” Wally nodded. “Have been for two years. It was rather sudden. The boys never really recovered from the loss either.” Wally looked down at the ground and away from Joey.

Joey thought of James’s dead, sad eyes, and wondered if this was the cause. 

“So, James…”

Wally looked sadder and played with his ring.

"When James was five years old, he saw his other parent get slit across the throat by a masked person. I found them both, my love dead and my son covered in blood, sobbing. James hasn’t been the same since." Wally revealed, trying to keep a steady voice, but it was quick to break and his own tears started to fall. “My life is a wreck and I couldn’t even help my son.”

Joey pulled Wally into a hug that they both needed. Wally hugged back and they cried together for what they loved and lost.

After some time, Joey said “Henry always wanted a family. He gave that up for me.” 

“Opposite for me. At least, my better half certainly didn’t want one. Sammy’s rouge parenting left a bit of a bad taste for future family planning. Yet...” 

Joey looked at Wally in surprise. “You married one of Sammy’s offspring? Did you lose a bet?” 

Wally actually laughed, and flipped away some of his tears. “Over James’s name, yes. But not in who I married. That was love.” 

“I loved Henry.” 

“And I loved Mattie.”

And Joey smiled at that. “Oh, that one.” 

Wally nodded. “I made the right choice. Even though we only had a few years together, I’m a better person having been in that relationship.” 

“As with mine.” 

Wally nodded and shuffled, then looked down once more. “I’ve been meaning to ask you, ‘cause I did a little digging into Henry’s death...was there a message from the killer?”

“...yes.” Joey didn’t want to picture that again. 

“Okay...were there any capital Rs?”

Joey’s heart was floored. “What?! How’d you know that?!” 

Wally looked grim.

“Mattie’s killer later sent a letter two months after the murder. It was made up of cut out letters from newspapers and it made a point often of using random capital Rs…I figure now that must be his calling card.” Wally looked up at Joey expectantly. 

“So...it's possible Henry was killed by the same person?”

“I think so.”

Two former employees of the studio getting killed by a killer with the fascination with a capital R? It was unnerving and too coincidental to be random. Joey blanched. Were those the only two victims, or were there more.

Joey stood up in a shot, determination rising above his misery. “After Henry’s funeral, you and I are going to the library to look through newspapers. There might be more victims and if we find the proper connection, we might be able to bring justice.”

Wally was in awe. He too had a foregine sort of happiness building. Maybe Joey was right. Maybe together they could find the killer who stole their loves from them.


	5. Gladiolus

They walked back to the funeral together, with Joey ready to face his grief. With confidence and with a saddened smile, he approached Henry’s coffin, on display but overly ignored. They’d opted for closed casket, but Joey knew he had to see his lover face one last time, so prided the top off. 

Makeup and cold storage had kept Henry looking like he was almost asleep. There was no rise and fall of his chest anymore. More like a doll. Joey cupped Henry’s face, and rubbed it. The powered makeup came off on his hand, and Henry was far too cold, but Joey still thought loveningly of him. 

Wally walked over to them, carrying Mira again. Mira made reaching movements for Joey, and little whines. Joey looked at her in confusion, but removed his hand from Henry’s face and grabbed her. She snuggled into his chest and babbled some more. 

"She likes you. She doesn't like most people." Wally said.

"She doesn't? Who does she like?"

"Me, her brothers, her grandfathers, her grandma, her uncles and aunts, and the cat. Otherwise she gets a little angsty. She’s selective."

Joey managed a laugh, mood heightened by recent hope.

"So clearly Matt's daughter. I remember him being like that too."

Wally nodded, and reached over and ran his fingers through Mira's brown hair.

"Mira is a...miracle baby. In that it's a miracle I carried her all the way, since I was under so much stress."

"...did she happen after Matt's death?" Joey had considered the details Wally had given and wondered if Mira had a different father. Wally shook his head though.

"No. Just a few days before. I only realized not all my symptoms were stress related when I was over five months along." Wally got a dazed look in his eyes. “Matt never got to meet his daughter. He died never knowing she existed.” Wally’s eyes hardened. “And I’ll never forgive the killer for stealing that love away from her.”

With the same love Mira would have shown her late father, the little girl looked at Joey, all smiles. Joey wasn’t sure why Mira liked him, but it was an ease of comfort. Joey had a feeling he’d be seeing a lot of her and the other children if he and Wally really did work together to catch the killer. 

“Jo!” A voice familiar to Joey called, his old childhood nickname fresh on her lips. She raced to him, a welcoming sight. Crashing into him, Marjorie hugged her brother tight, and Joey leaned into the hug, and would have hugged back if not for how he was holding Mira. His sister's warmth was welcome in this bittersweet chill.

Marjorie Lawrence stood only a little shorter than Joey’s tall height, and Joey was able to rest his head on top of hers. They didn’t talk much. Joey hadn’t approved of her marriage to Sammy, citing it as seeming too much like a shotgun wedding then actual love, but what did Joey know. Either way, it still felt like he’d lost his sister, yet he was in her arms now. 

“Hey, Jorie…” Joey spoke fondly. He’d missed her. She’d aged just as he had. Duel thirty-seven years old. Their childhood together in Arkansas felt so distant after all these years. Still brother and sister, hurting from what haunted them. 

“Jo, I’m so sorry.” Marjorie said with her own tears on the matter.

“You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“I do! I heard all of this from Sammy. Not you. Because we don’t talk…I should have been there for you.” Marjorie started to cry. 

Mira, compassionate even despite her young age, started making grabbing motions for Jorie. There was familiarity in her eyes though. Doing the reasonable connecting of family in his head, Joey realized through marriage Marjorie was in fact Mira’s grandmother. It made Joey feel old. 

Joey passed Mira to Marjorie as she broke the hug. Marjorie hugged the little girl, and looked upon her fondly. Joey smiled at the sight. 

That was when Joey realized Wally was gone. He looked around, realizing it because Wally had said nothing for some time, and true to his thoughts, Wally was gone.

Looking around, Joey saw no sign of him. Wally had disappeared from the crowd, and seemingly the area. Joey then felt a tug on his hand and looked down to see James. 

“Papa followed the bad creepy man.” James said, scowling. James clear distaste for whoever he was talking about, and from previous context Joey was pretty sure it was Johnny who James was talking about.

“Why would he?” Joey asked, since he’d seen what Wally thought of Johnny. 

“Grandpa and bad creepy man went off to talk.” 

Joey then half smiled at that. “Oh, is he going to tell his brother off for being a creepy to Wally and Wally wants to see the show?” 

James looked considerate. “Maybe.” He then looked more at Joey. “I don’t know you.”

“Well, I don’t know you either. Aside from your name and age.” And his trauma, but Joey knew better than to bring that up.

“Papa knows you.” 

“He used to work for me before he had you.” 

“Oh.” 

Joey then heard another approach, and there was Grant carrying Gabe. Wally must’ve left the kids with him when he’d chased after Joey. Wally had said that Grant looked after the kids sometimes. 

“Hello, Joey, Marjorie.” The twins nodded at the short man, while Grant put his gaze on James. “Don’t wander off.” 

“But the tall man didn’t see Papa leave and was worried.” James defended, pouting.

Joey realized he was in fact worried. He liked having Wally around today. It made handling this all so much easier. His gaze returned to Henry’s corpse. 

“I swear, Wally and I will find your killer.” And Joey placed a kiss upon Henry’s cold lips.


	6. White Roses

The rest of the funeral passed in a blur, and soon Henry Stein was in his grave. Joey felt more lost than ever. This was the first, but Joey knew not the last time, he would stand over Henry's engraved name. 

Marjorie was still at his side, head on his shoulder.  The kids too were with them, and Mira had made it back into his arms. She whimpered softly, and rubbed at her eyes. She clearly needed a nap, but was looking around worried. Joey was sure why. 

Sammy and Wally had not returned. Joey could tell from how agitated Grant looked as that this was not a good thing. Joey had still yet to spot Johnny either. Joey felt worry for Wally. And Sammy too, but most for Marjorie’s sake. 

Then to his joy, Johnny suddenly ran past with a bloody nose, and moments later Wally pranced up to Joey. “I’m back.”

“Good.”    
  
Sammy also appeared, and grabbed Marjorie’s hand. “I really can’t believe Henry’s dead.” Sammy muttered, like he was daring Henry to pop out of somewhere and tell them it was all a bad prank. It was then that Joey remembered that Henry and Sammy had a bit of history together and Joey felt bad. He really wasn’t the only one grieving Henry but he’d only thought of himself in all this. 

Leaning over, Sammy prodded at the tombstone. “I remember that cartoon we all worked on. Tombstone Picnic.” Sammy looked up at Joey. “Would it be brash and rude to agree that we should have a picnic right here when we find who killed Henry?”

Joey thought it over. It seemed so...right? It was odd to think it was right, but Henry wouldn’t want them crying over him the rest of their lives. If anything, having a picnic over the grave would allow Henry to be there too to celebrate his murderer’s capture.

So, Joey nodded. “We’ll have it here. All of us.”

It felt like they were building towards closure. Something Joey needed. 

“Sir? Do you have payment for the burial?” Joey turned around to see the undertaker standing their expectantly. Mister Wells tried to make himself look scary even though Joey towered over him. 

“Yes, I do.” Joey pulled out the cash and handed it to him. 

“Good, all here.” Wells flipped through the wad. “Guess who's getting ice cream later!” Wells tone heightened and he looked down. A little girl peeked out from behind his leg and smiled up at him.

“Me!” The girl cheered. “And James?” She added. Wells scowled. 

Joey looked at James, who to his shock...was smiling over the sight of her? It was small, but there.

“Really, Frannie?” James asked softly, a little bit of a blush appearing on his cheeks. Joey realized one thing in that moment. Only seven years old and James Lawrence knew who he loved. 

“Yes! If daddy says yes.” Frannie smiled widely at her father, and Wells sighed. 

“When I feel like taking you both out for ice cream, together, I will consider it.” Wells said. “I’ll just need Mister Lawrence to provide a leash this time.” 

Wells looked at Wally expectantly. 

“Yes, Ollie. I’ll get James a leash. At this point I was already considering it myself.” 

“Hey, you lost ‘Ollie’ privileges when you started dating Matt.” 

“Not even once, for an old friend?” 

The tension between them could be cut with a knife. Wells just snorted, and walked away with Frannie. Frannie waved to James in goodbye, and James waved back. His little smile dropped as soon as Frannie’s eyes were off him. 

James then went to Wally. “Can we go home now, papa?” 

“I have to do some work at the library with Joey.” Wally said. James didn’t like that answer, and started to cry. “Okay, okay. Joey, I guess I gotta go home.”

“I can take you there.” 

“Okay. I just gotta find my wallet. I lost it somewhere when chasing after you.” Wally picked up James, and walked off. 

Marjorie put a hand on Joey’s shoulder. “He likes you.”

“He does?”

“Usually he ignores or snarks at people who annoy him, instead of like how he was when he worked at the studio.” Both remembered Wally’s fake smiles and cheer, and Joey was almost glad that Wally had become more honest. Although now seemed like the perfect time for a smile. 

Speaking of, Joey saw Sammy smiling. It seemed out of place. He handed Mira off to Grant, and turned to look at Marjorie.

“Promise you’ll call?” 

“Jo, of course. I’ll get better with calling you and I’ll ever stop by your house when you want me to.” 

“Good.” Joey hugged his sister, and then walked to Sammy and dragged him off. Once they were alone, Joey grabbed Sammy by the neck, his hands daring to tighten if he got an answer he didn’t like, “Sammy, I have to check. Are you the killer?” 

Sammy got a dark glint in his eye, but shook his head. “No, Henry’s death wasn’t one of mine.” 

“And not your son either?” 

“Haven’t talked to Baby in months. I think he’s laying low.” Sammy seemed truthful of what he said of his most similar son. Baby, who’d nicknamed himself London to make up for Sammy’s less than stellar naming skills, had followed in his father’s footsteps. “So it could have been him.” 

“Why was Matt your one good child?”    
  
Sammy looked genuinely offended. “Matt wasn’t as pure as you’d think. Plus, I’ll have you know my daughters aren’t like the boys.”

“Marjorie’s influence, no doubt.”

Sammy smiled, and nodded. “I don’t get why she loves me.” 

“Our dad made sure her taste in men was bottom of the barrel and then handed her shovel to dig even deeper into the bottom.”

Sammy nodded in understanding, and then pried Joey’s fingers away from his neck, and walked off to follow Marjorie who was making her way to the exit. 

Wally soon returned, and James was asleep in his arms. “Lets go, Joey.” 

Grant handed Mira off to Joey again, and then tipped his hat. “I wish you two well.”    
  
“Don’t you want to stop by the house for a snack?” Wally questioned, a hopeful tone in his voice. 

“No. I have a meeting with Shawn Flynn in about a half hour and need to catch a taxi. Something about business help or something else financial.” 

Joey kicked a stone, and felt embarrassment at the mention of Shawn Flynn. He’d been a right off jerk to the young man back in the studio days. In hindsight, he’d gone too far. To most of his employees. And he was so caught up in himself that it took Henry coming back to the studio after several years and a punch to the face for him to realize it. A punch in the face so hard that the studio soon closed its doors before it could get any lower and closer to hell than it’d already been. 

“Tell him I said hello.” Wally said, and Grant nodded, and walked off. “Come on, we’ll walk to my place.” 

“I have to pick up Lucky from his sitter.”    


“...well, we’ll walk there and then to my place.”  
  
“A fair deal.”    
  
With all three kids on hand, they left the graveyard and started the first stretch of their new path, together.


End file.
